The VanDrie Group goes to China with European Commissioner Hogan

The VanDrie Group is preparing the Chinese market for Dutch veal

Led by Phil Hogan, the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, an EU trade delegation is paying an official visit to China. During the trip, Henny Swinkels (Director Corporate Affairs) will be representing the VanDrie Group. The agriculture and food trade delegation consists of 71 individuals representing businesses from 23 European countries.

Last April, it was announced that in the foreseeable future, it would become possible to export Dutch veal to China. The signing of the export protocol and the inspections of slaughterhouses by the Chinese authorities have yet to take place. Despite the fact that export is not yet actually possible, the VanDrie Group considers this trade mission to be of great importance. "It is important to prepare the Chinese market for the arrival of Dutch veal," says Henny Swinkels. "Dutch veal is unique. It is flavourful and nutritious. Quality and sustainability are key themes within our sector. The way in which we are able to track and trace our products is exceptional. We can trace every piece of meat and every ingredient of feed through the entire production chain. We guarantee this within our Safety Guard quality system, which is something that really appeals to Chinese buyers."

The mission provides sufficient opportunities to increase the awareness of Dutch veal. An important element of the trade mission is the visit to the SIAL China trade fair in Shanghai, the largest food innovation fair in Asia. Various activities are also held there, such as seminars on e-commerce and distribution, retail visits and there are lots of opportunities to network with Chinese companies.